Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has asked both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pick their 2023 presidential candidate from the Southeast.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, governor Umahi stated that Nigeria deserves an Igbo Presidency for the reason of equity, fairness and justice.
The Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum added that he canvassed for Igbo Presidency while he was in the PDP and he will not stop doing that in the APC.
The governor, however, revealed that he will be disappointed if the ruling APC does not give the South-East a chance at the presidency.
“The heartbeat of the people of the South-East is that they should be given a chance whether in the PDP or the APC for Presidency of this country for the reason of equity, fairness and justice,” he said.
“I took that position in the PDP and one of the reasons why I took that position is because the South-East people have supported the PDP all the way and they have never been given any opportunity to do that.
“If I follow APC for this length of time, and they don’t give the South-East an opportunity, I will feel bad.
“I will feel bad if I stay the same length of time as I did in the PDP and that happens. But I can’t say what I will do. It depends on what God places in my mind,” he added.
Speaking further, the governor dismissed reports that he dumped the PDP for the APC to push for the zoning of the presidency to the Southeast.
According to Umahi, he joined the APC because of the support President Muhammadu Buhari gave to his state despite being in opposition.
He said: “Remember when I joined APC, I didn’t join APC because I needed to insist that the south-east must be the next president. I never did.
“I joined APC with all my heart and the support of Mr President, and an appreciation for all his support, even when I was in the other party, and also to prove that the Igbo man believes so much in one Nigeria.
“That is the reason I joined APC, apart from my protest of the injustice meted to the south-east in PDP.”
